Time Is The Enemy
by chang-raeleeismyhero
Summary: Time... to some it's a friend, to others, an enemy. Post "The Telling".
1. Down The Rabbit Hole

A/N: I realize this is one of many post "The Telling" stories flooding the Internet. I couldn't resist the pull to write my own. I hope it stands out in some way.  
  
This picks up directly after Vaughn's last line of, "You've been missing for almost two years."  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sydney sat, horrified, shocked, and trying to comprehend what Vaughn had just told her.  
  
"Two years." The words slipped breathlessly from Sydney's lips: the disbelieving expression still painted on her face, the trails of tears still wet, but drying.  
  
As she broke from her stupor this news had sent her into, words came rushing from her mouth.  
  
"That's not possible. H-how can that be? T-th-there's no way. I mean, two years?"  
  
Vaughn just sat there, the tortured look on his countenance never subsiding. There was nothing he wanted more than to reach out, to comfort, but the ring on his left hand glared at him. It caught the light of the dim room, reminding him of the woman waiting for him.  
  
He did love her; he wouldn't have married her if he didn't, but there was no comparison between Sydney and her. The woman he truly loved was there, sitting across from him, after two years. And he couldn't touch her, could barely look at her; from shame, and the fear he would get lost in her eyes and never return.  
  
He forced his thoughts to a halt, before they carried him away, and realized neither of them had spoken for quite some time.  
  
He broke the deathly quiet that had fallen over the room, "We need to get you back to LA. Kendall wants you back as soon as possible. Are you well enough to fly?" It was meant to sound decisive and strong, but came out strangled.  
  
Again roused from a state of shock, Sydney stuttered slightly before simply nodding her head.  
  
He stood and headed toward the door. Looking back, he realized she still sat, facing the spot he had just vacated. Vaughn went back and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.  
  
Sydney jumped slightly, but returned to her previous position. After a moment, her hand snaked up and settled on top of his.  
  
His hand burned. It had been so long since they had touched, save for the fairly one-sided hug at the door.  
  
Withdrawing his hand, he once again headed for the door. This time, she reluctantly stood to follow. Vaughn went out first to lead the way.  
  
Sydney stared, longingly and with disbelief, at Vaughn's back. Her mind was alternately racing and absolutely blank, numb. The whole thing was so surreal it had to be a dream, but she knew it was really happening. Somewhere in the depths of her consciousness, she knew it was the horrifying truth, and it unnerved her.  
  
* * * *  
  
"There's a doctor in the back, waiting to give you a physical and several tests," Vaughn explained as they boarded the plane.  
  
Sydney nodded, bowing her head and turning toward the indicated direction. Vaughn watched her walk off. He stared at the last place she could be seen long after she was gone. He heaved a heavy sigh; wishing things could be drastically different. Vaughn turned and headed toward the cockpit to check on the flight plan.  
  
* * * *  
  
Two hours later when Sydney reentered the cabin, she found Vaughn reading. Quietly, so as not to disturb him, she sat in the chair opposite him.  
  
"Tolstoy," she whispered as she read the cover of the book.  
  
He looked up, startled.  
  
"Yeah. I've picked up reading it in the last year or so."  
  
Vaughn looked directly at her for the briefest of moments. In his eyes she could read the pain he had been through in the last few years. She knew, instinctively, his new passion for Tolstoy was his own brand of remembrance and comfort; a reference to their first meeting, and the day his heart stopped. It was enough to melt the anger and hurt for a moment, but they soon rushed back in full force.  
  
That was no excuse.  
  
Vaughn could not respond to the silence that answered his comment. He swallowed hard, returning to his reading.  
  
An hour or so later, after Sydney had drifted off, the doctor appeared, looming in the doorway.  
  
"Agent Vaughn, I need to speak with you." Vaughn nodded and slowly rose to go.  
  
"Michael."  
  
The soft murmur had come from Sydney. Tears were once again streaming down her face.  
  
He couldn't take it any longer.  
  
He left quickly.  
  
In the impromptu doctor's office, Vaughn addressed the man. "How is she?"  
  
"Well, she's obviously traumatized, but she seems healthy. With the few tests I've already completed, I can tell you, that's really Sydney Bristow. She showed no signs of proteins and there were no traces of Provacillian in her blood."  
  
Vaughn nodded his ascent, but he had known the moment he had first seen her, that it was truly Sydney. There had never been any doubt in his mind. "Let me know if you find anything else." Vaughn turned to exit the room.  
  
"Agent Vaughn, wait. There is one more thing. I found a scar on Agent Bristow's abdomen. When I questioned her, she said it was new, but judging by the scar tissue, I'd say she's had it for over a year."  
  
The doctor stopped at this point, but Vaughn could tell there was more.  
  
"The scar is consistent with what would be found on patients who have had cesarean sections. Characteristically horizontal on one side or the other."  
  
The world began to fade in Vaughn's eyes.  
  
"With the aging of the scar, I'd say it was performed seven to ten months after her disappearance. Agent Vaughn, there is a high probability Agent Bristow was pregnant when she disappeared."  
  
Vaughn's world went black.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
TBC?  
  
A/N: I have ideas - I just need to know if you want them. There's a little purple/blue button down there. Go ahead. You know you want to.  
  
A/N: Alias and characters are not mine, never have and never will be. I'm simply a poor student trying to release her muse. The idea of her pregnancy, though already used, hasn't been presented this way yet, to my knowledge. If I have tread on anyone's toes, I apologize. I also apologize if the medical part is wrong. I specialize in computers, not medicine. 


	2. Coming Home

A/N: New chapter! Thanks for all the great reviews. That was an overwhelming response. I'm glad you all liked it, and I hope this does the first chapter justice. Bear with me; this is my first multi-chaptered fic that wasn't already written out. I'm trying.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Vaughn awoke some time later. His still blurry vision allowed him to see only the cabin lights over his head. He vaguely remembered he was on a plane.  
  
Lifting his head slightly to look around, he noticed a doctor using what looked like an eyedropper across the room.  
  
Doctor.  
  
And suddenly it all came rushing back.  
  
Sydney. Alive. Pregnant.  
  
Three words he never thought would ever have the opportunity to be related, at least not after that night nearly two years ago.  
  
Vaughn attempted to sit up, but found his head in considerable pain. He groaned softly as light flashed before his eyes.  
  
"Ah, Agent Vaughn, you're awake. I would have started to worry in a few minutes. You hit your head when you passed out. Are you feeling OK?"  
  
Contemplating the various answers that sprung into his mind, he simply nodded. "How's Sydney?"  
  
Vaughn wondered briefly if there was ever a time when he wasn't worried about Sydney.  
  
As the doctor held a light to Vaughn's eyes, he said, "Agent Bristow was asleep as well the last time I checked on her. She seems to be doing fine. Her tests continue to return with positive results. She should be ready for debrief as soon as we return." The doctor completed his short examination, and gave a slight grunt.  
  
Vaughn completely ignored the doctor's acknowledgement of his own condition. Somehow, Vaughn suspected debrief was not what Sydney needed right now. But then, she really hadn't needed to find out he was married either. Another heavy slab of pain and guilt settled itself over his chest.  
  
"Before I passed out, you were saying something about Sydney being pregnant. Are you sure she was pregnant when she disappeared?"  
  
Vaughn's heart began to pound; the possibility that Sydney had been pregnant when she vanished could mean only one thing. She had been carrying their child.  
  
"There are no certainties, but as I said, there is a high probability." The doctor gave him a probing look, trying to ascertain why Vaughn was so interested in the pregnancy issue, and why he referred to the agent by her first name. He watched the younger man digest this information. Guilt and sadness seemed to be the primary emotions.  
  
~Odd~ he thought.  
  
Eventually, he noticed the slight hardening of the agent's jaw, followed quickly by a question.  
  
"Is there any indication as to what happened to the child?" The doctor supposed this could be a logical question, but there seemed to be no official reason behind the inquiry.  
  
"No, none. I'm afraid Agent Bristow is the only person who has the slightest possibility of answering that question."  
  
Vaughn nodded his head. "Thank you doctor." He stood to leave, but the doctor placed his hand on Vaughn's arm.  
  
"Don't tell Agent Bristow. Not yet. This is either something she will have to remember on her own, or it is too painful for her to think of."  
  
Again, Vaughn nodded, confirming his willingness to comply.  
  
* * * *  
  
Vaughn sat staring at Sydney. They were going to be landing in ten minutes. He had to wake her up, allowing her to fasten her belt and prepare.  
  
He just couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked so peaceful, as if the last 11 years of her life had not happened. She always looked like that when she slept. He had been captivated by her before, spending nights beside her simply watching, and now, two years later, it was still the same.  
  
Thoughts of his wife seeped into the tiny crevices of his mind. Of her hair: not Sydney's color. Of her eyes: nowhere near the depth of Sydney's.  
  
What had he done?  
  
These thoughts finally brought him out of Sydney's spell and allowed him to reach out to gently touch her shoulder.  
  
She stirred after a few moments, squinting her eyes at the light surrounding her.  
  
"We're landing."  
  
Sydney gave a clipped nod and sat up.  
  
Vaughn had never seen a more beautiful sight; her hair was sticking out in all directions, her outfit was reminiscent of the eighties, and her eyes were half closed from sleep.  
  
The doctor entered the room silently and took a seat.  
  
Thousands of questions ran through Vaughn's mind. All of them needed to be answered, but he couldn't think where to start. Instead he sat there, staring at the floor. His ears felt odd as they depressurized. He thought it strange they had never adjusted, even after the many flights he had taken.  
  
Across the expanse of blue-gray plane carpeting, Sydney sat thinking the same thing. She waded through the questions on her mind. As irrational as it was, the one she most wanted to ask was who. Who had Vaughn married? Her next question was why. Why hadn't he waited? She supposed there were more important questions, like how she had lost two years of her life, but she didn't care about those at the moment.  
  
All she could see was the plain gold band on his left ring finger, and that hers held nothing.  
  
She finally managed to tear her gaze away to look at Vaughn. He was staring intently at the carpet, while working his jaw. He would open it every few seconds to move it around. It would have been amusing in any situation but this.  
  
The plane gave a slight shudder as they touched down. In an hour, Sydney would be approaching the Joint Task Force center; at least, she assumed that's where she would be taken.  
  
For all she knew, that location could have been abandoned.  
  
* * * *  
  
Stepping through the doors of the Joint Task Force Center brought mixed emotions. It looked exactly the same, the only difference being the faces. She didn't recognize a single one.  
  
Sydney looked around for her father, Marshall, or even Will, remembering Vaughn had said he was OK; hoping to see at least one familiar face.  
  
Kendall appeared in her line of vision. He turned to look at her, and then began to hurry - as much as he ever did - toward her.  
  
She could have been mistaken, but it felt as though Vaughn had reached out to give her hand a light brush, almost in encouragement.  
  
Kendall stopped directly in front of her. "Agent Bristow?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Where exactly have you been for the past two years?" The question was asked in his usual tone.  
  
Sydney clenched her fists and wanted to roll her eyes at the homecoming, but held herself back.  
  
Just as she was about to answer, Vaughn spoke up.  
  
"Here are the test results the in-flight doctor completed."  
  
Kendall reached out to accept the folder, giving Vaughn a sort of grimace for entering the discussion. He quickly glanced through, nodding in grim seriousness.  
  
"Well, Agent Bristow, seems to me you're healthy. I know you probably want to rest right now, but that's not an option. We need to get your statement immediately. Has Agent Vaughn told you anything that might have influenced your memories?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Great. Let's get you in a room." He made a gesture to a low level analyst who jumped up to go clear an office. It seemed some things never change.  
  
Vaughn watched as Sydney followed Kendall into a conference room.  
  
He made it to his desk before he collapsed into his chair. Resting his head in his hands, he tried to put pressure on the tight spots he was developing. He knew that in an hour or so, the tightness would be a full- blown headache.  
  
He heard a throat being cleared above him. Reluctantly, he looked up, right into the face of Will Tippin.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
TBC  
  
AN: This may be the last chapter for about a week. Unless I manage to find time to write between now and Monday night, there won't be anything up before next Saturday. I'm going to Washington, D.C. and won't have Internet access. :( I can't wait to go though!  
  
If I really owned Alias and company, would I be applying for a job at Wal- Mart so I can buy a used car? Nope. Not a chance. 


	3. Painful Remembrance

A/N: I'm back! I flew in Friday night, and didn't get home until 1 AM. I hurried up and got this chapter written. I hope it's good enough. I'm slightly sleep deprived, but I couldn't leave my readers hanging any longer. Enjoy!  
  
This is dedicated to Sarah. If it weren't for you, this story wouldn't exist. And I won't forget the butter. ;)  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
"Back so soon? I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away." Will chuckled at his joke, expecting at least a smile from his friend. Instead he received a cold stare.  
  
"No one told you?"  
  
"Told me what?"  
  
"Sydney's back. She's alive."  
  
Will sat down - hard. He should have known news of his absent best friend would be the only thing to bring Vaughn back. It was unbelievable. Sydney was alive.  
  
"Is she okay? Where has she been? What did they do with her?"  
  
The questions continued to pour from Will's mouth; his journalist training the only thing that kept him asking coherent questions.  
  
"The doctor said she seems fine. He ran a few tests. It's her. She's healthy. The only problem is she doesn't remember the last two years. She remembers the fight with Doren, but nothing after. It's as if no time has passed for her. She was just taken into a conference room: Kendall wants her statement written down."  
  
"She's really here?" Will asked, still not quite ready to believe it was really true. Too many of his hopes from the CIA's leads had been crushed in the past.  
  
Nodding, Vaughn answered. "I went to retrieve her from Hong Kong. I saw her with my own eyes. She's real."  
  
Will saw in Vaughn's eyes the same complete disbelief that their dreams had come true; that her being all right was just too good to be true.  
  
"So what happens now?"  
  
Vaughn knew Will wasn't simply questioning about Sydney, but about the situation Vaughn suddenly found himself in as well.  
  
"I have no idea."  
  
Vaughn sighed, rubbing his hand over his face before running it through his hair.  
  
"No idea."  
  
* * * *  
  
Sydney Bristow sat down heavily at the conference table.  
  
This scene was all too familiar for her. Someone she loved had been killed, and it was time to write out the story, as she knew it.  
  
The only difference was, Vaughn never walked in.  
  
She kept imagining he would come bursting through the door, wake her from her nightmare, and take her away to Santa Barbara. But he never did.  
  
When she had finished writing her statement, it wasn't quite as long as last time, she stood and headed for the door.  
  
Stepping into the glow of the overhead lights, Sydney looked around her. The first thing she saw was Vaughn, standing next to Will.  
  
"Will!" Sydney ran toward her friend, enveloping him in a long, desperate hug. She was so grateful to see him alive. The last time she had seen him, he had been near dead in her bathtub.  
  
"You're alive! When I saw you lying in that tub, all I could think was Danny. and how I'd found him, dead, in the tub. You're alive, and well!"  
  
Will returned the hug. They clung to each other, afraid that the other couldn't physically be there, that this was just a quick reprieve from above.  
  
"So are you," Will whispered into her ear. "It's so good to see you, even if you do look a little, I don't know, stringy." He fingered a piece of slightly greasy hair that had fallen from her ponytail.  
  
Sydney pulled away and gave him a light slap. At his wounded expression, she gave an earsplitting smile, fully showing her dimples. Will soon followed. They once again threw themselves into a tight hug.  
  
Pulling away, Sydney asked, "How have you been? What happened?"  
  
"I don't really remember, but Vaughn came in sometime after the fight. He searched the house for you, but found me instead. I'd lost so much blood. No one thought I'd make it through. Francie's double had stabbed me in the stomach. I fell into a coma from the loss of blood. I spent weeks in the hospital. I finally came out of the coma, and after another week, they let me go home."  
  
"Oh Will, I'm so sorry." Sydney was on the verge of tears.  
  
"I did get that promotion, though."  
  
"The one for the senior analyst position?"  
  
"That one."  
  
"Congratulations!" Another hug ensued. They were making a scene in the ops center, but neither could bring themselves to care.  
  
A throat was cleared near them and they parted to determine the source. Vaughn was nowhere to be seen, he had slipped away. In his place stood none other than Director Kendall.  
  
"Bristow, we need to get you into regression therapy immediately. I don't care how tired you are, what friends you want to see, or even if you have to use the ladies room. Now."  
  
Sydney and Will gave each other apologetic, yet resigned glances.  
  
After another quick hug, Sydney turned and followed Kendall down a long corridor.  
  
* * * *  
  
Across the bullpen, Michael Vaughn stood leaning against the wall. He had watched the exchange between the two friends, wishing he were the one receiving all the hugs. ~ She tried ~ he reminded himself.  
  
He watched Kendall approach, Sydney say her goodbyes to Will, and the turn she made to follow Kendall down a branching hallway.  
  
Green eyes followed her figure until she was no longer visible.  
  
"Mr. Vaughn."  
  
Vaughn looked up - into the steely eyes of Jack Bristow.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"I was called in to extract Sydney."  
  
"I know that, why are you still here?"  
  
"I work here."  
  
"No, you don't Mr. Vaughn. You haven't for several months. I suggest you leave." With that, he turned on his heel, and walked away.  
  
Jack's words reminded him of a simple fact that had slipped his mind since he had heard Sydney was alive.  
  
He was a civilian.  
  
He had no right to be where he was.  
  
It had been so natural, like breathing. It hadn't fazed him to be referred to as "Agent Vaughn". He hadn't even realized the desk he had been at wasn't his.  
  
Most importantly, he still answered to the name Michael Vaughn.  
  
* * * *  
  
"You know the risks Agent Bristow?"  
  
"Yes. I don't have much of a choice."  
  
Kerr smiled slightly before beginning.  
  
"Now, I'm going to count back from three. When I get to one, I want you to tell me where you are. 3, 2, 1."  
  
Sydney opened her eyes to find herself looking into a dim room. Moans and screams could be heard occasionally. They drifted from the other side of a partition, a fluorescent glow shown from the other side.  
  
Moving tentatively forward, Sydney reached the source of the light and noise. She looked around the obstruction, and gasped.  
  
"What do you see Sydney?"  
  
"I'm lying on a table surrounded by people. They look like doctors, but they aren't wearing lab coats or scrubs."  
  
Sydney looked again at the scene in front of her. She leaned forward to listen. She could here herself mumbling, obviously incoherent through whatever pain she was being put through.  
  
Had she been tortured? That wasn't possible. They were doing nothing to her, she was simply hooked to several machines, all reading vitals.  
  
Tears began to gather in Sydney's eyes as she looked on. Something was obviously wrong. Unconsciously, her hand went to stroke the newly discovered scar on her abdomen.  
  
Kerr noticed. "What are you seeing?"  
  
Sydney was too engrossed to answer. She had just heard herself, lying on the table, saying the only coherent words since she had entered. 'Vaughn. Michael. Where are you? You need to be here.' No more could be understood as she slipped back into mumbling and muttering.  
  
'There's something wrong. The baby's coming breech and the umbilical cord has wrapped itself around the neck. We need to get it out of there. Now.'  
  
"I think I'm in labor, but that can't be. I wasn't pregnant."  
  
Kerr made note of this, and encouraged Sydney to continue.  
  
Sydney moved to the head of the table and looked down at her own sweat- streaked face.  
  
She watched in morbid fascination as the doctors administered anesthesia. An Asian man, who appeared to be in charge, took a knife and made the incision in the same place she now carried her scar.  
  
It was unbearable to watch. Sydney turned her head, not quite ready to confirm that they were removing her child.  
  
Her child. Sydney knew, with the certainty that comes only from the heart, that the child was hers, and Vaughn's.  
  
Tears had long been flowing from her red and swollen eyes.  
  
She looked up again when she heard the baby cry. The newborn looked healthy enough: red, tiny, and screaming, but healthy.  
  
Sydney wanted to reach out and take the infant. Motherly instincts she thought couldn't exist were stirred in her. It was her child, and she wanted desperately to hold it.  
  
In the hypnotherapy chair, Sydney reached out her arms.  
  
"What are you reaching for Sydney?"  
  
"My baby, I want my baby," Sydney sobbed.  
  
Kerr looked stricken, but continued to make notes.  
  
Sydney spun her head around when she heard a door open. In walked none other than Arvin Sloane.  
  
'The baby's a healthy girl sir.'  
  
'Good. I'll take it. Finish up here. When she comes out of it, tell her the child died, and that you did all you could.'  
  
With his trademark creepy smile, he took the proffered child, turned, and headed out the door.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: I know, I'm taking my own sweet time getting the details out, but they'll come. No worries. I've got a few taken care of, or at least hinted at, in this chapter. Let me know what you thought. It'll make my day!  
  
Everything Alias is not mine. You can go ahead and sue, but all I've got in my pocket right now is $.25 and a ticket stub from the Matrix Reloaded. Seriously, do you know how expensive food in D.C. is? 


	4. Of Evil Men And Bad Choices

A/N: I'm so sorry I didn't update for a while! My teachers all got together and decided that the last two weeks of school should be when they gave me the most work. I've been overwhelmed with work! Now that school's pretty much done with, I can get back to writing. I hope this chapter makes up for it!  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
Sydney bolted up from the bed. She was drenched in sweat and had trails of tears down her face. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she could hardly breathe as she remembered.  
  
Her dream had been a playback of her earlier session.  
  
Her hand shook as she gingerly raised it to wipe her hair from her forehead. She felt the moisture on her cheeks and thought back to the child she had only recently discovered.  
  
Tears began to fall once again as she tortured herself with images of Arvin Sloane taking her child.  
  
Where had he taken the baby? Was she still alive? Was he raising her as his own?  
  
The only person she wanted to talk to was Vaughn - he needed to know and he always knew just what to say to make her feel better. Reaching out her hand to the nightstand, she fumbled in the darkness for her phone.  
  
The tears and stress made her forget, momentarily, that she was in a hotel, and that her phone was in the suit she had shed earlier.  
  
Trying to see in the dark and through tears, Sydney found her way to the pile of clothes on the floor. Pulling out her phone, she hit speed dial #2.  
  
On the fifth ring, right before voice mail would have picked up, she heard a groggy hello.  
  
It was decidedly feminine.  
  
Sydney hit the end button with lightning speed.  
  
She had forgotten he was married. She had just spoken to his wife.  
  
Instead of comfort, the call to Vaughn brought a fresh wave of tears. It reminded her of all she had lost: not just a child, but its father as well.  
  
Sydney cried herself to sleep on the cold hotel rug.  
  
* * * *  
  
The next morning, Sydney walked into the Joint Task Force Center with large circles under her eyes. The rest of her night had not gone any better. The same horrifying dream kept repeating itself, over and over, until she became afraid to sleep.  
  
She looked up as she headed toward her desk. Sitting in her chair was Michael Vaughn.  
  
He made a small smile in greeting before he took a good look at her appearance and the wrinkles made their presence known.  
  
"Are you OK?" The concern was evident in his voice, but Sydney was irritated by it.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear in an attempt to convince Vaughn it was the truth.  
  
It didn't work. The next question popped out of his mouth.  
  
"Then why did you call last night? And why did you hang up?"  
  
Any semblance of a smile dropped off Sydney's face.  
  
"I hit the wrong button on speed dial. When I heard your wife, I realized I had the wrong number. Sorry."  
  
The lie slipped out easily. During her time away, she had obviously not lost her ability to fib when it was necessary.  
  
"Don't lie to me Sydney. That's not something we do." His eyes reflected he was hurt she would even try.  
  
"Do we marry other people?" The biting comment slipped out before she had the chance to process it.  
  
Sydney bit her lip and bowed her head, missing Vaughn's reaction. The sadness on his face became more prevalent and he, too, lowered his head in shame.  
  
Knowing that hearing Karen's voice had been the reason Sydney had hung up, he looked up again.  
  
"Why did you call last night?"  
  
Something about the desperate, caring, tormented tone of his voice caused Sydney to raise her head and look into his eyes.  
  
When he saw tears in her eyes, he reached out wipe them away. She flinched when his thumb brushed lightly over her smooth cheek.  
  
Vaughn quickly withdrew his outstretched arm.  
  
In a voice just barely audible, Sydney stated, "We need to talk."  
  
Vaughn reached out again, took her hand and led her to the closed room, which Weiss used to refer to as "The Flirting Corner."  
  
As Vaughn led the way, Sydney allowed herself the small pleasure of enjoying the feel of his hand in hers. It was meager compared to what she used to have, but it soothed her for the time being.  
  
When the door had closed behind them, Sydney began, without preamble, to tell Vaughn about the session yesterday with Ms. Kerr.  
  
Vaughn was first surprised by the openness with which she told him, but soon the surprise was replaced with a deep sadness coupled with horror. He silently berated himself for not having been waiting for her outside. Not to mention so many other places he should have been for her.  
  
As her story came to a close, neither could say anything. Vaughn had no idea where to start. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and hug her until it didn't hurt anymore, but he knew he couldn't do that.  
  
It slowly entered his mind that she had said their child. Not hers. Theirs.  
  
Just as he was about to form a response, in something akin to déjà vu, Weiss stuck his head in the door.  
  
"Kendall called a meeting. Everyone needs to be there. Now." He pulled his head back and quietly shut the door.  
  
Sydney and Vaughn shared a meaningful look before they both turned and headed out the door.  
  
* * * *  
  
"As many of you know, Agent Sydney Bristow, who had been presumed dead for the past two years, called in a few days ago. She has no memory of those two years, or even that time has passed. Due to new Intel, it is presumed Arvin Sloane was responsible."  
  
Sydney hated being referred to as if she wasn't even in the room. Across the room, Will was looking at her. Marshall was trying to catch her eye. Next to her, she could feel Vaughn's gaze. Other than those three men, and Kendall, currently speaking, she recognized no one.  
  
It bothered her that her father was not there. It bothered her she hadn't seen him since she had returned. She thought he could have been on a mission, but he should have been back.  
  
As if her thoughts had conjured him, her father's picture appeared on the screen at the front of the room.  
  
"This morning, Agent Jack Bristow went missing. Surveillance witnessed Agent Bristow being pulled into a black van late last night. There has been no sign of him since. For the past two years, Agent Bristow has been working to stop Sloane. We believe Sloane has taken Agent Bristow."  
  
Sydney sat stunned. Her father was missing.  
  
"Agent Bristow, Agent Anderson, you two are headed for Tallinn, Estonia. Intel from Agent Bristow indicates Sloane has a base there. Hopefully we'll find something."  
  
Sydney glanced to her left at the severe looking woman who must be Agent Anderson.  
  
Vaughn didn't know Agent Anderson, but that wasn't the only reason he didn't want Sydney on this mission.  
  
"Sir, isn't too soon to be sending Sydney back into the field? She's barely started therapy."  
  
He could feel Sydney become angry beside him, and Kendall simply stared at him.  
  
"I'm curious Mr. Vaughn, why you felt the need to make that comment. We need her skills on this mission, regardless of whether she's ready. Not to mention the fact you don't even work here. You're here because Jack Bristow felt it would help. Don't make me overturn his decision."  
  
Vaughn slumped back in his chair, defeated. He knew Sydney was angry with him for interfering, and he felt useless. All he could do was get up and leave.  
  
As he headed out the door, he could hear Kendall speaking to Will. "Tippin, what do you have?"  
  
He quickly and quietly made his exit. Heading towards his car, he couldn't stop the stinging in his eyes from turning into betraying tears.  
  
While the mother of his child sat in a briefing, he had to head home to his wife.  
  
*~*~*~*  
  
A/N: Too angsty? I kinda think so. I don't think I've ever written the word "tears" so many times in one sitting my entire life. Anyway, tell me what y'all thought! It'll make my day!  
  
Alias isn't mine, blah, blah, blah. 


End file.
